


Between

by windandthestars



Category: The Newsroom (US TV)
Genre: Afghanistan, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-22
Updated: 2013-11-30
Packaged: 2018-01-02 08:27:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1054641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/windandthestars/pseuds/windandthestars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Afghanistan.”  Sloan is detached, watching her carefully.  “You’re asking me to come with you to a war zone.  I don’t even know you.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cerie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cerie/gifts).



> For Phyllis who suggested, once upon a time, that I write this.

She’s been watching Sloan for a couple of weeks now. Standing in the corner of the newsroom or behind the prompter, she’s listened to report after report. Sloan was smart, brilliant, if Mac were to guess, but it would take a lot more than intellect to win Sloan over. She needed a plan. With Will’s vacation drawing to a close she was running out of time. 

“Sloan, I’m MacKenzie. MacKenzie McHale.”

“I know.”

“Can I talk to you?” Mac asks curtly, skipping the formalities. She’s feeling rushed; Sloan may not know what she wants, but she knows the crew does.

“Sure,” Sloan slips the last of the mic wires free from her blouse and hands it off as Mac nods toward her office.

“You’re very good.” Mac rounds on her as soon as the glass office door slips shut. Sloan smiles wryly, waiting her out. “I’ve heard rumors you’re looking to gain some more experience.”

“I’m not a reporter.”

“But you would like to be.”

Sloan raises her eyebrows, head shifting from side to side, unequivocally confirming what Mac already knew.

“I like my job.”

“You want a bigger audience.”

“I want to make a difference.” Sloan corrects, frowning at the implications Mac’s statement fails to discount. “If more people understood-“

“I can’t give you five minutes of primetime.” Mac cautions, “I don’t have that job anymore, but I can offer you the opportunity to cover the _real_ news, to make a difference, if you’re up for it.”

“Are you suggesting that I’m not?”

“I’m not suggesting anything.” Mac says easily. “I’m looking for someone to cover the war with me.”

“I’m an economist. There are other people more qualified than me to-”

“I’m not looking for someone to stand in the studio and rattle off copy. I need someone in the field. We leave in two weeks.”

“Afghanistan.” Sloan is detached, watching her carefully. “You’re asking me to come with you to a war zone. I don’t even know you.”

“you and I are going to be good friends.” Mac brushes her off, enthusiasm growing with every second Sloan stays to hear her out. “I know it’s dangerous, but this is your chance to cover _the news_. We could make a real difference in the way the public views this war. We could change the way our veterans at home are treated. There are huge stories being ignored, issues and events no one has covered. We could be the ones to change that.”

“Why me?” Sloan looks no more convinced than she did a minute ago, but Mac knows she’s winning her over. Her posture has relaxed, the mask of professional neutrality is slowly fading.

“You’re smart. You’re quick on your feet. No one takes you as seriously as you like but you ignore that. You’re driven. I take you seriously, Sloan. I know you’re capable of changing the way society sees things. I know you think you’re an economist, but you’re so much more than that. Start with the war, come home and hit them with the economy.”

“You really think we could do this?”

“I know we can.” It’s not the best argument to offer, Mac knows that, but she’s always been big on blind faith and optimism, and she has a feeling that Sloan, behind the careful reservation, feels the same. “I wouldn’t ask you if I didn’t think you were qualified.”

“Afghanistan.”

“We’ll be embedded for a while. It may be Iraq.”

“I don’t know anything about the Middle East.”

“None of us did before 9/11. I have books, military reports. There are experts you can talk to. I currently have half the New York Public Library in my living room.”

“OK.”

“OK you’ll go, or OK I think you’re crazy?”

“OK. I get it.”

“So you’ll go?”

Sloan studies her as Mac attempts to tamp down her enthusiasm. “I’ll go, but,” Sloan pauses for a moment, “I still want to occasionally cover economic issues.”

“That can be arranged.” Mac agrees, “Whatever you want. I’ll find a place to air it.”


	2. Chapter 2

They're back in New York and Sloan wants her five minutes of primetime. It's not something that she was promised she could keep, but she's not about to give it up now that they're home.

She hasn't said anything to Kenzie about it though. She's known Kenzie long enough now, to know that suggesting she talk to her ex about Sloan appearing on his show wouldn't go over nearly as well as either of them would like to think it would. So Sloan signs on as a senior producer and keeps her mouth shut, trying not to mention how much she misses being a reporter until she gets a chance to talk to Charlie.  
Charlie's never been her biggest ally. They've had their fair share of contentious moments, but he respects her, and he gave her a hell of a lot more leeway than he did before Kenzie dragged her halfway around the world.  
"Did you ask MacKenzie?"  
"She's not his EP." Sloan shifts her weight, repackaging her argument. "I know Don's leaving for ten o'clock, but Will doesn't know that yet. I can't go straight to Will and ask, that would look suspicious. He'd make a scene. You know he would, but you could ask him. He likes you and you're always meddling."

Charlie doesn't look amused by her assessment but he lets it pass. “MacKenzie is his EP. He doesn’t know that either.”

“Oh.” Sloan lets the implications sink in. “Ooh. Does Kenzie know he doesn’t know?”

“MacKenzie doesn’t know she’s his EP. She hasn’t asked me for the job yet.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I sent her to Northwestern.”

“You sent her to Northwestern,” Sloan parrots, frowning at how pleased Charlie appears to be with himself. “To watch Will’s panel.”

“She has a fondness for the news. I assume you’ve noticed that.”

“What does that have to do with Will’s panel?”

“He’s become complacent.”

“This isn’t going to end well.”

“This is going to end exactly how I want it to.”

“Disastrously.” Again Charlie isn’t looking amused. “You do remember how loud Will can be when he’s provoked.”

“MacKenzie can hold her own.”

“I’m not worried about that. I’m worried about the audience full of spectators.”

“Exactly.” Charlie says with a grin. 

“Neither of them will say a word.” Sloan smiles in sudden understanding. ”You’re still going to have a problem when it comes to Don.”

“One thing at a time.” Charlie waves her off. “I’ll have my liquor stash restocked by Wednesday.”


End file.
